US4925710AExpiredUtility

Ultrathin-wall fluoropolymer tube with removable fluoropolymer core

89
Individually held — no corporate assignee on recordPriority: Mar 31, 1988Filed: Mar 31, 1988Granted: May 15, 1990
Est. expiryMar 31, 2008(expired)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:Thomas F. BuckDiane P. Fukuda
F16L 11/22F16L 11/06Y10S138/03Y10T428/2982Y10T428/1314Y10T428/1393Y10T428/139Y10T428/31721Y10T428/31525Y10T428/31551Y10T428/31544Y10T428/31725Y10T428/3154Y10T428/31909
89
PatentIndex Score
126
Cited by
15
References
53
Claims

Abstract

An ultrathin-wall sintered fluoropolymer tube is disclosed which has a wall thickness less than about 0.002 inch (0.051 mm). Also, disclosed are fluoropolymer tubes which have been extruded over and are supported by a removable, sintered fluoropolymer core. Preferably the fluoropolymer core contains an inorganic filler such as glass beads. Integral multilayered tubes which can be used as automotive cables or medical catheters are also disclosed. These multilayered tubes have an inner lubricious sheath comprises of the afore-described sintered fluoropolymer tube, with or without the removable fluoropolymer core, surrounded by an outer sheath comprised of one or more different materials.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An article comprising an ultrathin-wall sintered fluoropolymer catheter tube having a wall thickness less than about 0.0020 inch (0.051 mm), said tube having a controlled relatively uniform inner diameter. 
     
     
       2. The tube of claim 1 having a wall thickness less than about 0.0015 inch (0.0038 mm). 
     
     
       3. The tube of claim 2 having a wall thickness of about 0.0010 inch (0.025 mm)±0.0005 inch (0.013 mm). 
     
     
       4. The tube of claims 1, 2 or 3 having an inner diameter which does not vary along its length by more than about ±0.0005 inch (0.013 mm). 
     
     
       5. The tube of claim 4 having an outer diameter less than about 0.100 inch (2.54 mm). 
     
     
       6. The tube of claim 5 having an inner diameter, greater than about 0.010 inch (0.254 mm). 
     
     
       7. The tube of claim 5 having an inner diameter greater than about 0.050 inch (1.27 mm). 
     
     
       8. The tube of claim 4 fabricated of polytetrafluoroethylene. 
     
     
       9. An article comprising a sintered ultrathin-wall fluoropolymer tube and inside said tube a cylindrical removable sintered fluoropolymer core wherein said core contains an inorganic filler comprising glass beads. 
     
     
       10. The tube of claim 9 wherein said inorganic filler is present in amount of about 3 to 10% by weight. 
     
     
       11. The tube of claim 10 wherein said glass beads have a mean particle size of about 5 to 50 microns. 
     
     
       12. The tube of claim 11 wherein said fluoropolymer tube and fluoropolymer core are fabricated of polytetrafluoroethylene. 
     
     
       13. The tube of claims 9, 11 or 12, wherein said fluoropolymer core comprises a fluoropolymer coated metal wire or stranded metal wire. 
     
     
       14. The tube of claims 9, 11 or 12, having a wall thickness less than about 0.0020 inch (0.05 mm). 
     
     
       15. The tube of claim 14 wherein said fluoropolymer core comprises a fluoropolymer coated metal wire or stranded metal wire. 
     
     
       16. An article comprising a multilayered tube comprising an outer sheath comprised of at least one material surrounding an inner lubricious sheath of a sintered fluoropolymer wherein said inner lubricious sheath has a wall thickness of less than about 0.002 inch (0.051 mm), said sheath having a controlled relatively uniform inner diameter. 
     
     
       17. The multilayered tube of claim 16 wherein said inner lubricious sheath has a wall thickness of less than about 0.0015 inch (0.038 mm). 
     
     
       18. The multilayered tube of claim 17 wherein said inner lubricious sheath has an inner diameter which does not vary along its length by more than about ±0.0005 inch (0.013 mm). 
     
     
       19. The multilayered tube of claim 18 wherein said outer sheath comprises a flexible polymeric material. 
     
     
       20. The multilayered tube of claim 19 wherein said flexible polymeric material is selected from polyurethanes, polyesters, polyolefins and polyamides. 
     
     
       21. The multilayered tube of claim 18 wherein said outer sheath comprises an outer layer of a flexible polymeric material surrounding an inner layer of a different material. 
     
     
       22. The multilayered tube of claim 21 wherein said flexible polymeric material is selected from polyurethanes, polyesters, polyolefins, and polyamides. 
     
     
       23. The multilayered tube of claim 22 wherein said inner layer of said outer sheath is braided metal. 
     
     
       24. The multilayered tube of claim 22 wherein said inner layer of said outer sheath is a rigid polymeric material. 
     
     
       25. The multilayered tube of claim 24 wherein said rigid polymeric material is selected from polycarbonates, polyethylene terephthalate, polyethylene terephthalate glycol, polyamides, polyacetals, polyimides, polyamide-imides, and copolymers thereof. 
     
     
       26. The multilayered tube of claims 23 or 25 wherein the outer sheath has an external diameter less than about 0.125 inch (3.18 mm). 
     
     
       27. The multilayered tube of claim 26 wherein the inner sheath has an internal diameter greater than about 0.050 inch (1.27 mm). 
     
     
       28. An article comprising a multilayered tube comprising an outer sheath comprised of at least one material surrounding an inner lubricious sheath of a sintered fluoropolymer wherein said inner lubricious sheath has a wall thickness of less that about 0.0020 inch (0.051 mm), said sheath having a controlled relatively uniform inner diameter, wherein said inner lubricious sheath surrounds a cylindrical removable sintered fluoropolymer core. 
     
     
       29. The multilayered tube of claim 28 wherein said fluoropolymer core contains an inorganic filler. 
     
     
       30. The multilayered tube of claim 29 wherein said inorganic filler comprises glass beads. 
     
     
       31. The multilayered tube of claim 30 wherein said inorganic filler is present in an amount of about 3 to 10% by weight. 
     
     
       32. The multilayered tube of claim 31 wherein said glass beads have a mean particle size of about 50 to 100 micron. 
     
     
       33. The multilayered tube of claim 32 wherein said inner lubricious sheath and said fluoropolymer core are fabricated of polytetrafluoroethylene. 
     
     
       34. The multilayered tube of claims 28, 29, 30, 31, 32 or 33 wherein said fluoropolymer core comprises a fluoropolymer coated metal wire or stranded metal wire. 
     
     
       35. The multilayered tube of claim 28 wherein said outer sheath comprises a flexible polymeric material. 
     
     
       36. The multilayered tube of claim 35 wherein said flexible polymeric material is selected from polyurethanes, polyesters, polyolefins and polyamides. 
     
     
       37. The multilayered tube of claim 28 wherein said outer sheath comprises an outer layer of a flexible polymeric material surrounding an inner layer of a different material. 
     
     
       38. The multilayered tube of claim 37 wherein said flexible polymeric material is selected from polyurethanes, polyesters, polyolefins and polyamides. 
     
     
       39. The multilayered tube of claim 38 wherein said inner layer of said outer sheath is braided metal. 
     
     
       40. The multilayered tube of claim 38 wherein said inner layer of said outer sheath is a rigid polymeric material. 
     
     
       41. The multilayered tube of claim 40 wherein said rigid polymeric material is selected from polycarbonates, polyethylene terephthalate, polyethylene terephthalate glycol, polyamides, polyacetals, polyimides, polyamide-imides and copolymers thereof. 
     
     
       42. The multilayered tube of claims 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40 or 41 wherein said fluoropolymer core contains about 3 to 10% by weight of an inorganic filler comprising glass beads. 
     
     
       43. The multilayered tube of claim 42 wherein said inner lubricious sheath and said fluoropolymer core are fabricated of polytetrafluoroethylene. 
     
     
       44. The multilayered tube of claim 43 wherein said fluoropolymer core comprises a fluoropolymer coated metal wire or stranded metal wire. 
     
     
       45. The multilayered tube of claim 44 wherein the outer sheath has an external diameter less than about 0.125 inch (3.18 mm) and the inner sheath has an internal diameter greater than about 0.050 inch (1.27 mm). 
     
     
       46. An article comprising an essentially void free ultrathin-wall fluoropolymer tube having a wall thickness less than about 0.002 inch (0.051 mm), said tube having a controlled relatively uniform inner diameter. 
     
     
       47. The tube of claim 46 having a wall thickness of less than about 0.0015 inch (0.0038 mm). 
     
     
       48. The tube of claim 47 having a wall thickness of about 0.0010 inch (0.025 mm)+/-0.0005 inch (0.013 mm). 
     
     
       49. The tube of claims 46, 47, or 48 having an inner diameter which does not vary along its length by more than about+/-0.005 inch (0.013 mm). 
     
     
       50. The tube of claim 49 having an outer diameter less than about 0.100 inch (2.54 mm). 
     
     
       51. The tube of claim 50 having an inner diameter greater than about 0.010 inch (0.254 mm). 
     
     
       52. The tube of claim 50 having an inner diameter greater than about 0.050 inch (1.27 mm). 
     
     
       53. The tube of claim 49 fabricated of polytetrafluoroethylene.

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